The antagonistic effect
of surfactin was studied against seven different Listeria monocytogenes
strains, 6 of which were resistant to bacteriocins. Surfactin showed
anti-Listeria activity against all 7 strains and a dose of 0.125mg/mL of
surfactin was enough to inhibit this pathogen. Surfactin sintetized by B.
subtilis subsp. subtilis C4 inhibited the pathogen in lower concentrations,
0.125mg/mL, followed by G2III and M1 with 0.25 and 1mg/mL, respectively. In
particular, a dose of 0.125mg/mL reduced the viability of L. monocytogenes
99/287 RB6, a bacteriocin-resistant strain, to 5 log orders. Surfactin assayed
maintained anti-Listeria activity within a pH range of between 2 and 10, after
heat treatment (boiling for 10min and autoclaving at 121°C for 15min) and after
treatment with proteolytic enzymes.

These results suggest that surfactin can be
used as a new tool for prevention and the control of L. monocytogenes in
different environments, for example, in the food industry.